D&D 5E Maximilian's Earthen Grasp questions

[Croejar64]

I have a question about Maximilian’s Earthen Grasp.

I have started using this spell for the first time. I am a level 4 Wizard. Two questions came up.

First can this hand be attacked and destroyed? The spell description makes no mention of it. My DM inquired but for the time being just assumed it cannot be targeted or destroyed.

The second question is does it have a limit of targets with regard to the targets size? Again the spell description makes no mention of a restriction based on size. It would seem odd a dirt and stone hand taking up just a 5' by 5' square would be able to grab and possibly restrain a huge or gargantuan sized creature. All from a 2nd level spell. One of the other players did make note of the fact since the creature gets a strength save and most creatures of that size would have very good strength saves it was not unrealistic.

I told the DM I would post here and see what people thought. I apologize in advance if this has already been addressed in an errata or somewhere else. I have not looked real hard yet to find anything. The DM made what I think were reasonable calls on it last night. I used it on a large sized bone naga and he did not think it was to unrealistic for a creature of just large size and he did not allow it to be destroyed or attack by creatures. What are your thoughts?

 

[Shiroiken]

Not having the spell handy, I would say that if nothing is mentioned about it being attacked, then it cannot be destroyed (same as a Flaming Sphere). Unless it says that it cannot effect creatures of a certain size, it should be able to effect them with a caveat. If it grapples them, creatures 2 sizes larger automatically succeed against it, per the normal grapple rules (IIRC). If it restrains them (and doesn't use the word grapple anywhere), then it would work on any size creature. Think of it that the hand grabs a limb or tender area and refuses to let go.

 

[jaelis]

The spell doesn't say anything about attacking the hand. Obviously it could be dispelled like any spell. Whether it could be affected by things like hitting it with a sword, a DM would have to decide. I'd probably say no... it is just soil held together by magic, damaging the soil wouldn't affect the magic. I might rule that a sizeable source of flowing water could wash the soil away though.

The hand restrains the target it grabs, it does not use the grapple rules. So there is no size restriction. As a DM I would rule it doesn't work against a creature that is just too big or amorphous to grab. But I read the hand itself as being medium sized... ie, the hand is as big as a human. A hand that size could grab most other creatures, even gargantuan ones. Maybe not a creature the size of a mountain or something.

 

[SunGold]

There are no size limits for its targets.

I'd say it couldn't be destroyed since it doesn't have stats, but that's a DM's call. I could see using the object AC & HP rules from the DMG to give it stats.

 

[Croesus]

Maximilian’s Earthen Grasp
2nd-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a miniature hand sculpted from clay)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You choose a 5-foot-square unoccupied space on the ground that you can see within range. A Medium hand made from compacted soil rises there and reaches for one creature you can see within 5 feet of it. The target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed
save, the target takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and is restrained for the spell’s duration.

As an action, you can cause the hand to crush the restrained target, who must make a Strength saving throw. It takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

To break out, the restrained target can make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, the target escapes and is no longer restrained by the hand.

As an action, you can cause the hand to reach for a different creature or to move to a different unoccupied space within range. The hand releases a restrained target if you do either.

Yep, no mention of ability to target the hand with damage. Of course, it could be targeted with dispel magic. A creature/character not restrained by the hand could attempt to free the restrained target, making a Strength check against the save DC. So there are multiple ways to free someone, even though the hand cannot be attacked.

As for concerns about the size of a target creature, keep in mind the hand is the size of a Medium creature. A "hand" that size would likely belong to a Gargantuan or Colossal creature, so I don't see any reason to limit the size of the target of the spell. Larger targets will likely have greater Strength, so will more easily make the save.

 

[Gadget]

like others have said: Gargantuan size creatures would be much harder to restrain due to the strength saving throw, IMHO, that takes care of larger sized creatures having an easier time rather neatly. As far as targeting the hand, it would be hard to do so without hitting the restrained creature. Other, more innovative methods to help a restrained target would have to be a DM judgement call, possibly warranting advantage on the Saving Throw to break free.

 

[Croejar64]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Seems my DM is applying the same logic as everyone else and to me it all seems very reasonable.